The deployment of intraluminal prostheses into the lumen of a patient from a remote location by the use of a deployment device or introducer, has been disclosed in a number of earlier patent specifications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,596 in the name of Kornberg proposes the retention of a self expanding graft within a sleeve until it is to be deployed at which time the sleeve is withdrawn and the graft allowed to expand. After the graft has been released there is no possible control of the position of the distal end of the graft. Inadequate placement can render the entire deployment null and void.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,918 in the name of Garza et al proposes a system and method for the deployment of a prosthesis in a blood vessel. The prosthesis is positioned between a delivery catheter and an outer sheath and expands outwardly upon removal of the sheath. Once again after the prosthesis has been released by removal of the sheath there is no possible control of the position of the either end of the prosthesis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,227 in the name of Savia et al proposes the delivery of a stent by mounting the stent to the outside of an inflatable catheter and retaining the ends of an unexpanded stent by fitting a sleeve over either end of the stent. Expansion of the stent is caused by inflation of the catheter between the sleeves so that the ends of the stent are withdrawn from the respective sleeves and the stent released and expanded into position. This system provides very little control over the deployment procedure and in practice would be impractical for intraluminal deployment where accuracy is vital.
European Patent specification No. 472 731 in the name of Inoue proposes an artificial tube prosthesis to be inserted into a human organ in a folded condition retained within a catheter and released to expand within the organ. Deployment is achieved by retention of the proximal end of the prosthesis by wires passing through a tube through the middle of the prosthesis while withdrawing the catheter. A balloon is then used to expand the prosthesis. Once again after the prosthesis has been released by removal of the catheter there is no possible control of the position of the distal end of the prosthesis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,407 in the name of Termin et al proposes the delivery of a stent by retaining the stent in an elastically deformed condition between a catheter and a sheath. The proximal end of the stent is retained at the catheter. The stent is allowed to expand by removal of the sheath and optional balloon expansion. No indication is given of any method for release of the stent from the catheter or how the distal end of the stent can be positioned accurately.
Australian Patent Application No. 669,338 in the name of Chuter proposes a delivery arrangement for transluminally positioning a prosthesis at a particular position on an internal wall of a lumen. The delivery arrangement has an outer sheath to surround the prosthesis and a retention arrangement to hold the prosthesis in a selected position during removal of the sheath before final release.
Australian Patent Application No. 671,910 in the name of Endovascular Technologies, Inc. proposes a delivery arrangement for positioning a prosthesis within a lumen. It has capsules which retain each end of the prosthesis and a balloon arrangement to expand the prosthesis when the capsules have been retracted to release the prosthesis. A sheath is used to protect the prosthesis during insertion. Once the capsules have been withdrawn there is no method provided to ensure that the ends of the prosthesis are correctly positioned.
It is the object of this invention to provide a graft and a method and apparatus to deploy the graft prosthesis which will overcome at least some of the problems discussed above or at least provide an alternative arrangement to the prior art systems described above.